LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
A Fort Simpson couple are turning their personal interests into a business and an experiment in aquaponics and permaculture.

Shelley Empey feeds the 35 tilapia that are currently living in a fish tank in the spare bedroom of her house in the Wild Rose Acres subdivision. Empey and her husband Mark Gillanders are starting Forest Gate Greenhouse - a business that will produce both vegetables and fish through aquaponics and other gardening techniques in Fort Simpson. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Shelley Empey and Mark Gillanders have started Forest Gate Greenhouse on two adjoining lots on Cazon Crescent in the Wild Rose Acres subdivision. The couple is in the process of building a greenhouse that will hold what Empey says is the first substantial aquaponics system in the NWT.

Aquaponics is a food production system that combines aquaculture, which is the raising of aquatic animals, with hydroponics - the cultivation of plants in water.

"It's big in B.C., Alberta and Ontario," Empey said.

Their solar greenhouse makes the most of the natural light through large, south-facing windows and is heated by a wood boiler system. In it, the couple will have four 300-gallon tanks that will house tilapia. Within eight months male tilapia can grow to about a foot long and produce two eight ounce side fillets.

The water from the fish tanks will be circulated past the roots of hydroponically-grown plants and serve as a fertilizer. The plants, in turn, will clean the water for the fish in the closed system.

The couple hopes to have the system in production before the end of October and their first crops could be ready by Christmas.

Empey plans to try one or two crops to start, possibly including herbs, tomatoes, peppers and strawberries. All of the excess produce and fish the couple doesn't eat will be sold.

"Our idea is to be able to sell it as cheaply as possible," she said.

The couple has been talking about this business idea for three years. It began while they were living in Pangnirtung and became discouraged by the cost of food and the quality of produce - a situation they've also found during their year and a half in Fort Simpson.

"We've got to find another way that people can afford to eat," Empey said.

Her personal interest and the businesses is about growing her own food.

"I want to be able to eat what I grow and grow what I eat," she said.

The couple is striving to do everything as economically and sustainably as possible. Although they've never tried aquaponics before, Gillanders has taken some courses on the subject.

The 35 tilapia are currently living in a fish tank in the spare bedroom of the couple's house and eating commercial trout food. Gillanders is interested in composting with worms, which is known as vermiculture, and plans to eventually feed excess worms to the fish. The couple plans to breed their own fish so they won't have to import new stock.

In addition to the solar greenhouse, two hoop houses, which are semicircular greenhouses, are also being built. Neither will be heated, but they will extend the growing season by a month on either end, said Empey.

She plans to use one house for lettuce in the spring, followed by root crops such as beets, radishes and carrots and the other for flowers.

The vegetables and plants will either be sold in Fort Simpson or taken to the farmers' market in Yellowknife.

Behind their house, Empey also has an area set aside for growing squash and cucumbers. She will be using composted produce as well as manure from her chickens and turkeys as a natural fertilizer.

Empey is following the concepts of permaculture, which is the idea of growing more with less work by working in-tune with natural systems.

"It's an experiment," she said.

If they don't kill all of the fish in the first year, Empey said she will consider it a success. The system is also a test to see if aquaponics could be done on a larger scale in the NWT.

In addition to selling her excess produce, fish and potentially eggs, Empey also hopes to start a community supported agriculture program in the spring.

For a fee customers would get a basket of what is in season that week. Other local people with produce or products like jams could also contribute and get a portion of the proceeds, she said.

Empey is looking forward to having the solar greenhouse up and running.

"You could go there and get your dinner," she said.

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